Malich's Curse
"This party is quite exquisite." Malich said with a forced smile 'Exquisite as a parasprite invasion on my bank safe!' The stallion was in shock at what Lady Fatchitaz had done to the dignity and pride that used to encompass the Centaur Palace. Gargoyles bore circles of multicolored flowers around their necks and on their heads. The paintings of Tapio Bearking and his wife Mielikki Bluecloak now lay hidden by fern and ficus.
Vines littered with different herbs wrapped around dark grey stone beams along with all other manner of beauty and desecration. He didn't want to say it out loud, but the only color that wasn't too well represented was red. And with Lady Fatass's mass, he couldn't help but let his imagination wonder on how he could decorate.
"Oh I knew you'd love it." The alabaster unicorn proclaimed "I've grown everything here by my own personal hoof. Please, do enjoy yourself hmmm?" She bragged before turning to visit other party guests. Malich's smile dropped to a scowl. For all of the executive rivals he had, for all of the renegade and disobedient politicians he loathed, and for all of the attempted muscle-ins by smaller companies to his territory; there was no... thing he hated in this world more than that unicorn.
Deciding to mingle, the business pony began to wonder about and see if he could find anyone he wanted to recognize. There was the Yazu, the Minotaur he'd been in a power struggle with in the emerging field of self replenishing Magic nanos. The two didn't hate each other, on the contrary they were friends, but it was a healthy rivalry, especially considering for all of Malich's money, he couldn't keep up with Yazu's intricate knowledge on Magical properties and sciences; along with the guy's gut instincts.
Over the his right, he found the Bounty twins, a promiscuous duo of beautiful pegasus mare's known for seducing and gaining valuable knowledge. Being the Vice president of a mega corporation definitely put him on their radar. The only reason he hadn't accepted one of their numerous offers is the uncertainty that they use psychotropic drugs to get the information the two wanted.
A year ago, the two had laid a reasonably wealthy stock broker who'd climbed his way from a lowly street cleaner, to millionaire in a matter of six months. After the special session, it was revealed that he had some one on the inside and knew when to sell and when to buy. He lost it all, his insider was found out and reported for insider trading.
Why they turned the poor sucker in was just as much a mystery as why he told them his secret. He obviously had to be a smart pony, too smart to let his dick lead him astray like that.
He gave them a friendly nod and continued to survey the room. A few construction CEO's were present along with their wives/husbands respectively. There was a Udall, a Jeweler that patroned Triple M. and his husband. -Malich never could get used to homosexual relationships- Mr. Cooled, president of Mac Donald's Enchantments, Ms. Cleo, Vice President of Artsy Academy and so on and so forth.
He spoke with a few, checking on how the families and business were coming. Most gave him fake and cheesy smiles. -by hell he hated that.- But there were a few who shared his look of disinterest or had been genuinely happy to see him. A few tried to put in good words for other, others tried to wiggle their way into the Triple M. ranks.
And then there were the occasional few who asked him about his 'availability'. Yep, it never failed. From some big business head trying to fix him up with his or her daughter to gorgeous models practically throwing themselves at him for his money. It got on his nerves some times really.
Yea, he was like any other guy and liked to sleep around, but each time his partner tried to convince him not to wear protection. It was obvious what they really wanted, and it wasn't his love and affection. Still, it did feel good and was fun he had to admit.
But Malich had is eye set on a mare, a lavender unicorn mare from Equestria to be precise. The student of Celestia. From what he understood: Strong, intelligent, determined and the element of Magic. From what he witnessed: Beautiful, strong willed and rational.
Truly a worthy mate for him to birth intelligent and worth while off spring.
"Good afternoon Malich!" The pony sighed at having his train of thought derailed and looked to find an elder unicorn stallion smiling at him, Lord Fatchitaz. Granted the title by none other than his own pretensions and self serving ass.
He was his father's biggest rival and best friend, next to himself of course. "I'm so glad you were able to make it to my daughter's little swarey."
Malich gave a smirk. "Yes, after a contingent of my mercenary agents had been ambushed during a mission in the Vale, I was afraid I wouldn't." He looked around to the party goers conversing polity among each other. "It's a good thing that little issue had gotten sorted out. Say you wouldn't happen to know anything bout it, would you?"
Lord put his hoof to his chin in mock thought, "Sorry to say, I don't think I do."
A bull faced lie, the business pony had taken to keeping a record of all weapons sold from the Triple M. weapons department via hidden number codes. Luckily, the ambushers were nothing more than a common gang, nothing compared to his well trained forces. When the weapons were recovered, it just so happened that most of them were sold under the good Lord's name.
Of course, he'd come to expect it by now. Lord Fatchitaz held a well funded grudge against the pony for failing to take his daughter as his bride.
How was he supposed to? "Ah, well such is the way." Malich shrugged and smiled politely. 'The girl is the epitome of everything I despise! Rude, idiotic, incompetent, not to mention the walrus could probably choke out a black hole if she got to close to one.'
The Lord took a drink from his magically enveloped wine glass. "So I've heard your company has been working on a new weapons project. Do you care to share a little information with an old friend?"
'I've known you for about six months.' "I'm afraid not." The Vice president chided. "The development has full disclosure. The developers aren't even allowed to leave the building until the patent is in." Not that they would complain, the research lab has a VERY nice leisure area for the workers and their families. Malich's Grandfather was of the belief that: A happy worker is a productive worker.
"Ah, I see." The bankster nodded taking another sip. After a few tense moments passed, and the inevitable finally occurred. He asked about Malich's "Eligibility" -as he called it- and openly offered his daughter up to keep him company in marital union.
"You know." The Lord pushed. "She is quite the luscious young mare." He placed a hoof around Malich's shoulder. "And she has quite a lot to offer."
Really? You're talking about your daughter like that? Yea, she's got a lot to offer alright. And all of it could feed the entire country of Zeborica for a month! Seriously, what on this green earth was he talking about? She was foolish, arrogant, aloof, he'd be hard pressed to find a positive trait about her. She couldn't even fall back on her looks to gain herself a mate. What exactly did she have to "offer" to anyone? Let alone himself.
The earth pony gently shrugged off the foreleg and tried to wind down the convincing into an eventual decline. Though, the more he pushed away from the topic, the harder the unicorn pushed for it. This would result in some kind of financial or physically destructive blow to the company, he knew that was certain.
But there was no way he'd settle for her. Especially when there was a protégé to the most powerful Alicorn in all history, running around the federation just waiting to meet him again.
Finally, after rejecting threat and fortune, the Lord finally sighed in defeat. "It's alright." He smiled knowingly, "you'll come to your senses soon enough." He leaned into Malich's ear, "I guarantee it."
The Triple M. Executive shivered as the bankster trotted away. One thing Lord Fatchitaz was good at was making good on his promises. He'd need to double the guards on all of his caravans and militarized compounds. Despite him holding the best in weapons technology and trained combat specialists, there were other organizations that would love to challenge that title, gaining some money of it would only be an all to welcome bonus.
The party continued on and he mingled as he had, looking to the clock from time to time hoping it would move faster. This party was suppose to go until midnight or so, and it was only ten-o'clock. If the last parties were any indicator, the other guests wouldn't have him leaving before they could. The saying was true, misery does love company.
Still, he grew ever more bored and disinterested. There was only so many times he could hear a higher up talk about their climb to fame while not threatening to slash their throats open with a rusty pudding spork. 'Wow, I'm begining to think I have issues.'
Eleven finally came around, and the pony took to hiding away in the corner with a bottle of Jack Apples. He wasn't any where near as toast as he wanted to be, but the evening became more bearable none the less.
'Alright, Eleven O'clock. Finally stretch.'If I can confine myself to this little corner, and keep out of sight, I should be able to-'
"Oh, there you are Malich!"
Malich slammed his head into the table. 'Why? Why is it when I always think I'm safe, life has to prove me wrong? WHY?!' He lifted his head slowly to find the hostess of the party smiling dumbly down at him. 'ugh, she looks even worse from down here.'
"Would you please join everyone else in the main hall? There's a very special announcement about to be made that I think you'll find absolutely wonderful."
'What? That you're going to jump off the balcony and split your fat fucking skull?' Malich made a vague threat under his breath before standing and venturing from the only thing that made this night suffer-able. Begrudgingly, he was escorted tot he crowd and began to look around. The place seemed intact enough, considering who was present. Perhaps the night would go better than expected after all... He just thought optimistically, didn't he?
The hostess called for the attention over the room. Slowly, the noise of the crowed began to die down and give their attention to the Lady.
"Ladies and Gentle-Citizens of the upper-crust." She gave a snorty giggle. "If I may have your attention please..."
Malich watched as she clinked her spoon on a wine glass a little too hard and cracked it. 'And so it begins...'
Lady Fatchitaz gave a brief speech thanking everyone for attending and paying tribute to herself for throwing such a "extravagant" get together. As she spoke, Malich's eyes darted all around, trying to analyze exactly what was going to go wrong. There was a certain feeling he got when something was going to go wrong, glass shattering, ponies screaming, antique treasures being smashed, the works.
He had that feeling the moment he wine glass cracked.
He couldn't pin point any particular thing. No exposed strained rope, no one doing anything particularly dangerous, no sharp objects conveniently propped up and ready to be flung. But something was going to happen. He looked up to find he was standing directly under a chandelier and quickly moved ten paces to the left. The first time it happened, he made the mistake of losing his cool and losing his threat assessment. The flying piranhas tank he took to the face taught him that lesson the hard way.
With his luck, he'd wondered how he'd held such a successful business position for so long.
And suddenly, a burning cake. It was a typical spectical for such an event, but one that Malich did enjoy. The longer the I pastry burned, the sweeter it became.
The cake was rolled in on a silver cart by a griffin confectionist. The crowd began to mumble in delight of the treat, each saying something or another about it. "Ahem." Lady Fatchitaz pouted hitting her glass with the spoon again, the glass cracking more.
'Here we go.' Anticipation filled him. The glass would shatter soon and then it would begin. Though, before it did; the crowd silenced again.
"As I was saying," She chided. "I have a very important announcement to make."
Malich pressed his lips together, his eyes fixed upon the glass in the unicorn's white magical aura. Why wasn't it breaking? How was it not shattered? It was a disastrous web of splintering carnies and cuts! He hardened his stare, as if his eyes would be the beverage holders final undoing. 'Break! Break damn you!'
"I am up her tonight to ask a very special pony to join me in martial wedlock." She eyed the crowd. "Malich, would you take me to be you're lawfully wedded wife?"
His heart skipped a beat. She wasn't really doing this. 'Tell me that twat isn't trying to put me on the spot like this?'
The crowd around him eyed him for a moment before looking back to the hostess. It started out as harsh whispers, though it eventually escalated into louder gossip and talking about if he'd really accept the offer. Mixed debates about how foolish it would be to reject her, battled with how reasonable it would be if he declined.
"Order please." The Lady asked hitting her glass again.
Malich, for his part, stood with a disbelieving stare. He didn't even notice the wine glass finally shattering, sending it's crimson contents and shattered gloss to the marble floor below.
The mare let a squeak of surprise before grabbing a cloth with in her magical grip and turning to begin cleaning up the mess. This would have been all well and good if her fat rump hadn't slammed into the tray carrying the flame lit caked and sent it on a run away course to collide with a plant covered pillar.
The business pony broke from his stupor due to the audible gasps that emanated from around him. He observed as the flames began to melt the vines on the wall. Wait. Melt? The vines were fake? Fatchitaz gasped again and rushed to the vine, moving the flaming cake away and using her magical grip to pull the decorative piece down and stomp it out.
Once she thought she'd contained the situation, the crowed gasped again and pointed behind her. Her eyes budged as she found that she'd pushed the cart near a bed of roses, some of which caught flame and also, began to melt.
Malich shook his head. The cake, of course, how could he have not seen that. And the plants being fake? That shouldn't have surprised him at all, anything she touches would probably die if it wasn't smart enough to up and leave her. The more she tried to stop the burning of her faux garden, the more things caught on fire due to her lack of foresight. After a full on inferno was building, the other guests finally decided to attempt to help quell the flames.
Finally, after a few pegasi with emergency storm cloud fire extinguishes put out the blunt of it, Lady Fatchitaz, burnt and winded, turned her attention back to her hoped fiancé. Malich stood impassive. His mind was a mix between relief for the little damaged caused, anger for all the damage it did cause and deadpanned irritation for the question that proceeded it.
Instead of actually giving her a piece of his mind, the stallion simply turned around and deliberately walked out of the main hall and to the stair case that lead to the lobby down stairs.
"So, is that a maybe then?"